Without Blemish

Date Posted:   June 12,  2009
By iFLOW Magazine International

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"Chase the dream and not the competition."
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Within many urban cities lies a nurturing sense of creativity that storms out of its energy source like it is a program imbedded within a computer chip dictating the directions for a robot to move.  However, within urban and modern style dance of the twenty-first century, the stiff movements of a robot just wouldn’t work nowadays.  It may have worked for the 1970s, but in the present day you have to increase in the acrobatic entertainment, flexibility, precision, and be without blemish.  This is definitely the depiction of FLAWLESS, a dance relationship of ten handsome and physically fit gentlemen of North London (United Kingdom) that works under the choreography of Marlon Wallen (the lead dancer of FLAWLESS).
 

While in Dublin, Ireland, Jewelz (iFLOW’s Chief Editor) was watching the television show, Britain’s Got Talent 2009, and was blown away by the manpower and special effects that was delivered by these young men with different backgrounds of physical training.  One can only ask to whether America is ready for this level of expertise.  “It is a privilege to visit Europe and experience the culture that is really there,” says Jewelz.  During a conversation with Marlon, when asked how FLAWLESS came together he said: 

Everyone is friends from the same neighborhood. We all are from the same schools or university. I am the person who brought everyone together. We came up with the name FLAWLESS because that is the name that we wanted to live up to and strive for that perfection.  

The level and variety of dance training experience that makes the precision of FLAWLESS includes ballet, jazz, contemporary, and tap dancing. Marlon states the influence of their technique is based on rehearsals everyday and…. 

Our love for dance has always been there and we wanted to affect change and inspire the way we have been inspired by other dancers (like the Michael Jacksons and James Browns)  in the world and we want to now be the ones to inspire and entertain people.

With the ages ranging from 20 – 32, entertainment is definitely what you will get when studying them as they tumble like if it was their first day of an extravaganza tryout with acrobatic moves that include gliding in the air “comme un oiseau sans aile” (like a bird without wings).  During his conversation with iFLOW, Marlon has commented on how he felt about the work of FLAWLESS thus far: 

To me, I am happy with what we have done. We are always striving for perfections.  Flawless is a very strong name. That is what we live up to. We really try to raise the bar more.

“comme un oiseau sans aile”

With the television exposure the group has been receiving, it is evident that the bar has definitely been raised while performing in front of Simon Cowell, a well known house hold name in the United States for his cynical personality as a judge of American Idol and also his more acceptable persona as he also provides his judging presence in Britain’s Got Talent. 

This is something that the United States cannot take credit for, no matter the American influences it may have abroad. With a restricted amount of television dance shows (like the 1980s Dance Fever) appearing that allowed artists the opportunity to show off their various dance stars, being on the stage with a singer should not be the only option.  FLAWLESS is proving that there are more options for them and entertaining is a stepping stone to something greater. In his last words, Marlon makes it known that there is more to come…. 

Dance is the bigger picture that is superior to FLAWLESS.  As the lead choreographer, I try to think about what we are up against. What I am creating must be effective to perform in front of a mass audience. I evaluate myself of how I can improve, upgrade, and place what is missing (from the performance). It can be really hard; however dance is going to open doors for a whole lot of things.

“Chase the dream and not the competition.”

For more information contact:

Amelia Benoit
Manager of Flawless
Tel 1 +44 (0) 7903 748 779
Email: flawlessmoves@hotmail.com
Web: www.officialflawlessent.com
Youtube: www.youtube.com/flawlesstube
Myspace: www.myspace.com/flawlessmoves

Credits:
 

Photos of FLAWLESS
courtesy of John Reid for Catchlight Photography

Graphics overlay and photo editing: 
courtesy of FLOW Child Marketing for iFLOW Magazine

 Sunglasses:
courtesy of SEAN JOHN

Clothing:
courtesy of Christian Audigier (Red Shirts)